Japan allows imports of German pig meat again

From this week on, and eight years after the last
exports, Germany is once more allowed to export pig meat to Japan, reports the
German trade journal for livestock and meat VFZ.

According to German officials, the Japanese ministry of agriculture has
approved the necessary veterinary documents for allowing imports from Germany
again.

Japan is one of the most important export markets for pork. The country has
a self-sufficiency rate of only 40% and imports a lot of its resources. In 2007,
the country imported 54% of its consumed pig meat.

Before the closure, on the grounds of Classical Swine Fever, Germany sent about 8,000 tonnes of pork
to Japan, worth approximately $40 million. The Japanese market is mainly
interested in pig bellies, ribs and bacon cuts.